Last weekend I was able to interview NeoSkies! In case you haven’t seen her before, NeoSkies creates an incredible amount of Cyberpunk-related content daily via her website, instagram, and twitter. She graciously agreed to answer some questions about her favorite Cyberpunk works, her inspiration, and how she got started with NeoSkiesArt.com.

What’s your real first name? If you feel comfortable sharing it.

My real name is Joy, though I do go by NeoSkies 🙂

What got you into Cyberpunk?

So ironically enough, I was watching E3 2018 and I saw the 40 minute Cyberpunk 2077 demo.  I remember being so intrigued by how the world looked from the futuristic aesthetic, outlawed districts and above all the weaponry. It was like stepping into a whole new world that I never knew existed. I started to search more about the game and soon decided I wanted to dive more into the Cyberpunk genre.

What made you decide to start Neoskiesart.com?

I was a digital artist on Instagram for a long time and in April of this year I wanted to create a website where I could further express myself and create content that I wouldn’t be able to post on social media. Such as: Tutorials, blog posts, process videos and etc. That’s why the website was called ‘Neoskiesart.com’ but after a couple of months realising that art wasn’t something I no longer wanted to pursue (career wise) I took a break.

You post a lot on Instagram and Twitter. How do you keep on posting original content so regularly?

Oh wow, good question! Well first let me say, there is just so much to talk about and discuss when it comes to Cyberpunk so the way I see it, content ideas are endless. I do aim to create content in advance to help with my sanity 😂 but I do tend to create content on the day (especially when an idea or theory comes to my head). But I believe it’s all down to scheduling and just having times throughout the day to be in silence. It helps a lot, especially when you’re struggling for ideas, sometimes the best ideas come to me in silence.

What’s your inspiration for the content that you post? Where do you get your ideas?

Above all else, the main thing I want my content to do is spark curiosity in the Cyberpunk genre. So a lot of my inspirations come from myself and what I find fun or what I’m curious about. Such as: quizzes, polls and theories. I also look at IGN, Pinterest and BuzzFeed for content ideas.

I saw recently that you added Ruth to your team. She’s your sister, right? How did that come about?

Ah yes! My sister, Ruth, is a filmmaker but in her spare time she helps me with creating content for my page. She’s no stranger to the Cyberpunk genre as she’s obsessed with Deus Ex and Mr Robot. She’s always wanted to create content around it but she didn’t know where, and that’s when we got the eureka moment of working together. I create content on all things Blade Runner and Altered Carbon and she does the same with Deus Ex and Mr Robot 🙂

What are your top three favorite Cyberpunk works, and why?

Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049 and Blade Runner: Blackout. If you didn’t know already… I’m OBSESSED with Blade Runner. It was the first film I watched when I got into Cyberpunk and that’s why it holds such a dear place in my heart, it’s like my first love.

I was in awe when I saw Blade Runner (1982), the movie was ahead of it’s time for sure! The idea that these ‘robots’ were a danger to humanity because they were expressing human emotions was just bizarre to me. Like what’s wrong with that? And above all, Roy Batty was just so easy to fall in love with, he was by far the main reason why I kept watching the movie.

Blade Runner 2049 was something I hated at first but after watching it a second time, I now consider it superior to the original. It had a more compelling narrative and it was easier to understand and follow. Also, I loved the set design and relationships that were shown in the sequel. Especially Joi and K’s relationship and the dynamic between Niander Wallace and Luv.

I didn’t know Denis Villeneuve released 3 short films before Blade Runner 2049, so you can imagine how excited I was to find out that there were more Blade Runner films to see.

I don’t know what it was but Blackout hit me differently than the other two movies. I felt this feeling of anger, grief, pain and sadness towards the replicants that I didn’t feel in the other two movies. I don’t want to spoil anything but I would love to see more about this storyline in future installments.

With Altered Carbon being such a hit last year on Netflix, Cyberpunk 2077 releasing next year as the most anticipated game of the year, and Elon Musk recently unveiling his CyberTruck, what are your thoughts on Cyberpunk as a genre and its future? Do you think it’s going to continue becoming more mainstream, or is it just a passing fad?

Right now, I believe this is truly the beginning of the rise of Cyberpunk. Now more than ever we are living in the future that this genre warns us about.

I do feel like it’s a 50/50 chance that Cyberpunk could go mainstream or sink to the bottom to be unheard of again. But something’s telling me that it will continue to grow and expand. I mean just look at what Cyberpunk 2077 did with me, I had no clue this genre existed but now I do and that’s all because of this game.

Finally, what does the word Cyberpunk mean to you?

Wow, Cyberpunk means so much to me, it’s a place where I truly feel like I belong. Cyberpunk makes me feel like I can express myself freely, I struggle a lot with self esteem and self love, and this genre challenged the way I see myself. I’ve grown a lot in confidence and this is something I didn’t think I had. This genre rebels against society’s norms and you can be whoever you want here, I love that!

Cyberpunk sparks my curiosity in so many ways, I no longer look at the world through one telescope but multiple. My views on humanity, technology, sexuality and economy have changed a lot since I joined the community.

You can find Joy on her blog at NeoSkiesArt.com or on her twitter or Instagram, where she constantly produces content and regularly engages with the Cyberpunk community.